IQNA

TEHRAN (IQNA) – More than 19,000 Daesh militants were killed over three years during liberation battles across Iraq, the Arab country’s Federal Police said on Monday.

“So far, some 19,484 militants were killed in each of Nineveh, Kirkuk, Salahuddin, north of Baghdad, in addition to Anbar, which represents around one third of the country,” Lt. gen. Shaker Jawdat, commander of the Federal Police, told the Russian Sputnik agency.

The total areas liberated by the Federal Police in the four provinces, according to Jawdar, “reached 27155. 496 square kilometers.”

Moreover, the total number of regions, towns and districts liberated by the troops reached 890.

Thousands of Daesh militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since the government campaign, backed by popular forces, was launched in October 2016 to fight the terrorist group.

In December, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced full liberation of Iraqi lands from the Daesh terror group.